The relief of Basra: Desert Rats finally storm siege city

April 8 2003

British forces have stormed the centre of Basra and wrested control of large swathes of Iraq's second city from forces loyal to Saddam Hussein following a two-week siege.

Tanks and Warrior fighting vehicles from three battle groups of the 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats, mounted a three-pronged assault shortly before dawn on Sunday. By dusk they had fought their way to the fringes of the Old City.

British officers in Qatar said 2000 troops backed by 40 tanks had entered Basra in an operation which continued through yesterday. At least three British soldiers were reported to have been killed, along with an unknown number of Iraqis.

"We killed quite a few," said Major John Cotterill, standing behind a tank dug into the median strip on the highway between the Hussein and Quebla neighbourhoods.

Some Iraqis cheered and waved at the British while others turned on the fedayeen paramilitaries defending the city. Several militiamen were killed by lynch mobs.");document.write("

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However, looters began to rip the city apart in the wake of the British advance. Furniture and other possessions were taken from destroyed government and paramilitary buildings as Shia slum dwellers on the outskirts of Basra flocked from their homes to seize the moment.

A former Iraqi soldier, who only gave his English nickname of William, defended the actions of the looters, saying: "Saddam Hussein deprived us of everything. This is the result of the deprivation of Saddam himself, that's what has caused this chaos, this mess.

"There are some militia but the army will kill them.

"Now, we are very happy that our freedom is being cared for by the US and the coalition."

While most people stayed in their homes, relief seemed to be the predominant emotion expressed by those who walked out to meet the British force.

"Finally we are able to leave our houses," said 50-year-old Abdul Kareem Gawad, one of a small crowd that gathered behind a tank about a third of the way into the city.

"For 20 years, we have been living in terror, with tragedy and starvation," he said. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to the Iraqi people."

In one battle, British tanks crashed through the gates of a Ba'ath party building and were immediately confronted by dozens of fedayeen firing rocket-propelled grenades.

During fighting some fedayeen reportedly feigned death before springing up in an attempt to fire grenades from close range.

Captain Niall Brennan of the Irish Guards pointed to the corpse of an assailant, saying: "You see that dead guy? He's the guy that tried to kill me just there.

"A lot of them were playing dead, and he was playing dead too. Then he got up, brought his RPG to bear on me. I couldn't see him.

"The whole army net radio was screaming 'Get down RPG 20 metres from you', but I had no idea where he was.

"One of my colleagues saw him and shot him. I would have known nothing about it if I hadn't been saved."